World Crisis in Leadership
A commentary by Bruce Gore
United Church of God pastor, Atlanta, GA
The recent resignation of another American congressman,
Rep. Mark Foley, over his sexually explicit internet messages to young
male pages, has made U.S. voters more cynical of its congressional candidates.
Beginning with Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham's tearful
resignation, another year of corruption and scandals, both sexual and
financial, has plagued the U.S. Congress.
Some members of the nation's political leadership have set terrible
examples of integrity. Instead of pursuing what's best for the
country gifts, paybacks and bribes too often have been the deciding factors
in the way votes have gone. There is growing disappointment and distrust
of congressional leaders. A recent NBC poll put congress's approval
rating at only 16% (NBC Nightly News, October 18, 2006).
Political corruption is not restricted to the America. It is a worldwide
problem. Brutal and corrupt dictators have bled much of the continent
of Africa of its resources. At this moment a horrible genocide continues
in the Sudan that the world seems powerless to stop. There is no way
to measure the terrible suffering that cruel, corrupt despots have brought
on humanity down through history.
The black gold of several Arab countries has mostly benefited only
a few powerful families. In his quest for power and wealth Saddam Hussein
killed and estimated 2 million of his own people.
Asian countries have fared no better. The citizens of North Korea live
in near starvation because of the policies of their ruler, President
Kim Jong II. In July of this year, Ta Mok, one of the main leaders of
Cambodia's brutal Khmer Rouge, died while awaiting trial for his
part in the slaughter of several million under the direction of Pol Pot.
The Hollywood movie "Killing Fields" depicts the horrors
enacted upon those people in the 1970s.
The number of countries that have suffered at the hands of cruel and
corrupt tyrants is growing. "Corruption is on the increase in a
majority of countries around the world, according to a study by the global
pressure group: Transparency International" (BBC, December 9, 2005,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4514112.stm). In its 2004 Global
Corruption report, Transparency International (TI) listed the Ten Most
Corrupt Leaders.
Former President Suharto of Indonesia tops the list of the "World's
Ten Most Corrupt Leaders" (Infoplease.com/ipa/A0921295.html). " Suharto's
alleged haul of $15-$35 billion in 31 years of rule, TI said, demonstrated
how abuse of power undermines the hopes... of developing countries. Close
behind is Zaire's Mobutu Sese Seko, who allegedly looted $5 billion.
His haul, said TI, was particularly high in a country with an average
GDP of just $100 a person. It amounted to 40% of the $12 billion in aid
Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo, received during his 32-year
rule" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3567745.stm).
The TI Global Corruption Barometer 2005 shows that the poor are the
most affected. Often in order to get anything done or even to travel,
they have to bribe petty officials. People in Africa appeared to pay
the most in bribes, the report found, with Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria
the worst. Households in these three countries spend more than 20% of
their income on paying bribes, the survey found.
A change is coming! The prophet Ezekiel speaks of God's anger
against the leaders who are interested only in empowering and enriching
themselves (Ezekiel 34:9-28). He promises to send Jesus Christ to intervene
in the near future to remove them from their positions of power and replace
them with righteous rulers who care for the welfare of the people. "I
will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall
fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking," says
the LORD (Jeremiah 23:4).
God plans to permanently resolve the world's leadership crisis
and its impact on all humanity. "He will bring justice to the poor
of the people; He will save the children of the needy, and will break
in pieces the oppressor ... He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
and ... to the ends of the earth ... Yes, all kings shall fall down before
Him; all nations shall serve Him. For He will deliver the needy when
he cries, the poor also, and him who has no helper. He will
spare the poor and needy, and will save the souls of the needy. He will
redeem their life from oppression and violence; and precious shall be
their blood in His sight" (Psalm 72:4, 8, 11-14).
 The
identity of the future leaders who will assist Jesus Christ in eliminating
corruption from the whole world will pleasantly surprise you. Learn for
yourself the exciting prophecies of how the coming Kingdom of God will
end human oppression. Just request or download our free booklet, The
Gospel of the Kingdom.
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